The American Littoral Society applauds the state Legislature’s passage of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill as part of the 2009−10 budget.
This legislation will make our communities cleaner, expand recycling and generate new revenue for the state by expanding the state’s nickel deposit law on beer and soda containers to include water bottles. During beach cleanups organized by our society, volunteers documented that non−carbonated beverage containers were found twice as often as those with a deposit. Most of the containers were water bottles.
By requiring beverage companies to transfer 80 percent of the unclaimed deposits they collect to the state, this measure will generate more than $115 million annually to the state’s general fund. The handling fee will be increased to 3.5 cents to more fairly compensate retailers for their costs of collecting, sorting and recycling bottles and cans.
Barbara Toborg
Broad Channel
